Comments on: Checking In On The Music Mags

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By: The Death of the Music Mags Pt. XXXVIX: Zombies (“REEEADERS! REEEAAAADDDERS!≵) @ The Catbirdseat - Indie Music, Culture, and Commentary

Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:57:18 +0000

[...] some time now, We’ve watched as the music mags began giving up the ghost. We’ve even seen magazines squeeze out an extra 6 months of life by taking reader donations. [...]

By: 2fs

2fs — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 04:50:15 +0000

interesting…are you aware that the old Musician magazine had an article way back when (pre-downloading, pre-CD-burning) that speculated that in-store, on-demand CD-making would be the wave of the future? (I think it was early ‘93…) It may still be… If “record stores” can get people to recognize their social function (actually rather similar to the way online music blogs create a community), and such customized services can add value beyond what you might get merely by downloading a track, it just might work… I actually still buy CDs fairly often – but the ones I buy are those that either are interestingly packaged, or by artists I really want to help support: somehow, a CD still feels more real to me than paying for a bunch of mp3 files.

By: Tobias

Tobias — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 03:22:52 +0000

As a post-script and qualification to that last bit, though, I will say that my own taste in books runs towards trade paperbacks and indie presses, which is probably not what a kiosk-based book-fabricator would want to be oriented towards in order to, you know, make money. Which is, I suspect, why I’m not a futurist.

By: Tobias

Tobias — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:19:57 +0000

I’m definitely aware of the “copies up front” — one of the two record stores I visit most often does this for new releases, for instance.

I was definitely thinking more along the lines of books in my comment — though I’d also think that what you’re describing would be potentially less problematic for CDs or DVDs. An ‘instant’ copy of “Rubber Soul” would take a lot less time to create than, say, “Anathem” or “2666″. I can also see problems with a print-on-demand kiosk running out of ink mid-job that wouldn’t be anywhere near as present when burning a CD or DVD.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:56:26 +0000

There are certain video and music stores I’ve frequented where you browse, you take the item up to the register, and then the clerk goes in back and brings out a copy for you, and replaces the “browsing” copy back on the shelf. I imagine the same interaction in what I’m talking about.

As to the unique/interesting packaging: I prefaced with “there are some caveats and exceptions,” specifically b/c there will always be certain things that demand a certain type of unique packaging. We all love “special” kinds of product presentations. But you have to think about: how similar are most CDs? A disc, a jewel, and a few-page insert. DVD: disc, amaray case, insert. Then you take books, newspapers, magazines: many use very similar paper stocks, sizing, bindings, etc.

The retailer would essentially have “blanks”– and a “blank” newspaper could become a “New York Times” or “USA Today”, the “blank” CD could become “Rubber Soul” or “Master of Puppets”, the “blank” book could become “War and Peace” or “Barack Obama Is Your New Bicycle…”

By: Tobias

Tobias — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:47:51 +0000

>>I mean that retailers should be equipped with the technology to fabricate these items, in high-quality form, on the spot, when a customer wants to buy it.

Two questions:

1. Theoretically, does this essentially mean an end to any kind of browsing?
2. Theoretically, does this essentially mean the end of any sort of distinctive packaging for, say, books?